Locomotive spark-arrester.



C. H; VANDONK.

LOCOMOTIVE SPARK ARRESTER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.14, 1914.

1 ,151,069. Patented Aug. 24, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH CO.,WASHXNGTON. D. c.

C. H. VANDONK.

LOCOMOTIVE SPARK ARRESTER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.14, 1914.

Patented A11 24, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

LOCOMOTIVE SPABK-ARRESTER.

Application filed August 14,

To all whmn it may concern:

Be it known that I, CORNELIUS H. VAN- DONK, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing in the city of WVells, county of Delta, and State ofMichigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Loco-cmotive Spark-Arresters, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in locomotive spark arresters, andrefers more particularly to that type of spark arr-esters which arelocated within the front extension of the fire-box so as to interceptsparks or red hot coals before they enter the smoke stack of thelocomotive.

Among the salient objects of the invention are, to provide an improvedtype of locomotive spark arrester which may be inserted in the frontsmoke chamber of the locomotive in such a manner that repairs to theparts of the arrester or to any parts of the locomotive associated withthe arrester may be effected withoutthe necessity of tearing down ordismantling the entire arrester, and with a minimum of trouble anddelay; to provide an improved construction so organized as to compel theexhaust gases to pass successively through a pair of screens so aseffectually to strain out any sparks or coals which may be carried bythe said exhaust gases; to provide an improved construction andarrangement of the screens and associated parts of the arrester so as tofurnish a very large screening area whose effective opening is at leastequal to and preferably much greater than the area of the locomotivestack; to provide a construction which is so placed in the front of thelocomotive and beneath the stack that it does not interfere materially,if at all, with the working or functional parts of the locomotive; toprovide a construction which shall be exceptionally simple andeconomical in construction and comparatively inexpensive and convenientto maintain in operation; and, in general, to provide an improved sparkarrester of the type referred to.

My invention consists in the matters hereinafter described and moreparticularly pointed out in connection with the accompanying drawings,in which Figure 1 is a longitudinal section taken vertically through thefront end of a locomotive equipped with a preferred form of my improvedconstruction; Fig. 2 i a fragmentary elevation showing the manner inSpecification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug, 24 1915,

1914. Serial No. 856,738.

which the draft-inducing cones and tubes are supported; Fig. 3 is an endelevation of Fig. 1 looking toward the fire-box, certain of the partsbeing shown in section or broken away; and Fig. t'is an enlargedsectional plan of the bottom of the main screen of the arrester.

Referring to the drawings, 5 represents the smoke chamber at the frontend of the locomotive into which the smoke or exhaust gases areconducted by means of the longitudinal fire tubes 6 and from the top ofwhich they are carried off by the smoke stack 7. Vertically directlybeneath the smoke stack 7 is the usual eductor nozzle 8 whichcommunicates with the two exhaust pipes 9 from the cylinders of thelocomotive. Intermediate the eductor nozzle 8 and the smoke stack 7 Iinterpose a pair of eductor pipes 10 and 11 which are both axially inline with the nozzle 8 and the stack 7 and suitably coned, as shown at12 and 13, so as to cause the steam to entrain with it and carry off aslarge an amount of the exhaust gases as possible. It will be noticedthat the pipe 10 is larger than the nozzle 8, and the pipe 11 is in itsturn greater in area than the pipe 10, which is necessary on account ofthe increased volume of the exhaust gases entrained by each successiveeductor pipe. The pipe 11 is of a length sufficient to enter the sleeve14, which is jammed into the lower end of the smoke stack 7. Restingupon the flange 15 of the nozzle 8, embracing it, and extendinghorizontally across from side to side of the smoke chamber is apartition 16 which, it will be noted, extend to the front of the nozzlea considerable distance and to the rear thereof a somewhat lesserdistance, where it is connected with a curved plate 17 which alsoextends across from side to side of the smoke chamber and rests againstthe front end 18 of the boiler so as to cause the gases from the tubes 6to pass beneath the plate 16. Depending at an angle from the front edgeof the horizontal partition plate 16 and secured thereto by means ofadjusable nuts and bolts 19, is a baflle plate 20 which may be changedin height somewhat by means of the holes :21 in order to obtain the bestresults in regulating the draft of the boiler.

On referring to Fig. 2 it will be seen that the eductor pipes 10 and 11are supported in their proper positions by a pair ofupstandconcentrically arranged with respect to the nozzle 8, I place acylindral screen 27, the upper end 28 of which is conical in shape andengages the outer rim of the cone 12 of the eductor pipe 10.7 Betweenthe under side of the rim of the cone 13 of the eductor pipe 11 andpreferably secured to the top of the cone 28, I interpose a pair ofsimilar conical screens 29 and 30 which are reversed with respect toeach other, connected at their larger ends, and completely occupy theouter space between the two cones 12 and 13. The series of screens justdescribed are preferably held down in place by installing the eductorpipe 11 in place subsequent to the placing of the screens in position,the cone 13, which is slightly greater in diameter than the cone 12,thus engaging the upper end of the conical screen 30 and holding theentire series in place. Between the sleeve 13 and the longitudinal upperextension of the eductor pipe 11 there is interposed an auxiliary screen31 which is somewhat conical in general outline, the lower smaller endthereof slidably embracing the eductor pipe 11, and the upper larger endbeing tightly forced into the lower end of the sleeve 14-.

It will be noted that the system of screens above described renders itimpossible for any ofthe exhaust gases to pass out through the smokestack 7 of the locomotive without I first being compelled to go throughthe tremely large and causes practically no opposition to the flow ofthe exhaust gases, the

total effective area of the openings through meshes of thescreensgreatly exceeding that of the stack. It is possible to adjust theeductor pipes 10 and 11 to a. certain extent vertically without beingcompelled to use different sizes of screens, since the screens are ofsuch shape that they may be collapsed or extended axially to a certainextent when adjusting said pipes.

Since it is highly desirable to insure absolutely against the egress ofsparks or live coals from the smoke stack 7, I have found it to be alsoessential to pass the exhaust gases through a palr of successive screensbefore they enter the stack, and to this end I construct an outer screenaround the inner screens just described. An important feature of myinvention is the manner in which I offset the outer screens with respectto the center line of the draft nozzle 8, so as to gain room for ascreen of the desired area without interfering with the partition 17 orwith the high pressure steam pipes 32 which pass down through thepartition plate 16 obliquely slightly behind and at each side of thenozzle 8. Accordingly, I construct the outer screen with a cylindricallower portion 33 which is excentrically disposed with respect to thenozzle 8 so as to bring the center of the screen well ahead of thenozzle, and between the lower end of the sleeve let and the top of thecylindrical portion 33 of the outer screen there is provided as upperscreen portion 34 which is somewhat conical in shape with respect to itsfront face but has its back end almost vertical so as entirely to fillthe space between the upper end of the screen 33 and the said sleeve 14.which, as before described, are eccentrically disposed with respect toeach other. The upper end of the conical screen" is clamped to the lowerend of thesleeve 14. by

means of a circumferential strap 35and bolt 36 so that if desired theentire outer screen may be removed. In order to make it pos sible torepair any of the inner screens or to adjust the position of the eductorpipes 10 and 11, the front of the cylindrical portion of the outerscreen is made with a removable door portion 37 which formsaconsiderable fraction of the circumference of the said screens and ismaintained in place by bolts 38 passing through a pair of verticallyextending flanges 39 to which the said screen 37 is securedandwhich-register with corresponding flanges 40 secured to the mainportion of the outer screen 33.

It will be noticed thatthe combined area of the outer screens 33 and 3-1is much greater than the area of the stack 7 even after due allowancehas been made for the ineffective area of the screen caused by thepresence of the meshes in the metal, while at the same time this outerscreen does not interfere with any of the piping or other parts withinthe smoke box 5. In addition, the shape of the said outer screen is suchthat it may be of simple and economical construction and can beinstalled with great ease and rapidity in the ordinary locomotive firebox. The same also may be said about the inner screens previouslydescribed. The door 37 is of such shape and area and so organized thatitmay be removed very quickly if it becomes necessary to gain access tothe interior of the outer screen for "the purpose of repairing the innerscreens, adjusting the eductor pipes, removing dirt, or. for any otherpurpose.

It will be manifest to those skilled in the art that certain details ofmy'construction may be modified somewhat without departing from thespirit of the invention, and therefore I do not wish to. be limited tothe precise details shown and described, except as specified in theappended claims.

I claim 1. In a locomotive, the combination of a stack, an exhaust steamnozzle, a conduit extending from the nozzle to the stack and providedwith a screened opening therein for the admission of fire gases to saidconduit, a portion of said conduit constituting an eductor pipe forregulating the draft, and an outer chamber surrounding said conduitextending from the bottom of the latter to the stack and provided with ascreen for admitting fire gases to its interior.

2. In a steam locomotive, the combination of a smoke chambercommunicating at one side with the boiler fiues and having a stackopening at the top, an upwardly projecting exhaust steam nozzle beneaththe stack opening, a substantially horizontal diaphragm surrounding thenozzle and having a rear extension connected to the boiler end andadapted to conduct the smoke from the flues forwardly beneath saiddiaphragm, a foraminated inclosure of relatively large size surroundingsaid nozzle and extending from the diaphragm to the stack, and an innerforaminated inclosure adapted to form a conduit for the steam and thesmoke passing through the foraminations in said inner and outerinclosures and entrained by the exhaust steam.

3. In a locomotive, the combination of a stack, an exhaust steam nozzle,a continuous conduit extending from the nozzle to the stack and providedwith a plurality of annular screen openings therein for the ad missionof fire gases to said conduit, successive separated portions of saidconduit being suitably shaped to constitute eductor pipes for regulatingthe draft, the screening areas of said conduit being situated axially oneither side of said eductor pipe portions, and an outer chambersurrounding said conduit extending from the bottom of the lattercontinuously to the stack and provided with a screen for admitting firegases to its interior.

4. In a locomotive, the combination of a stack, an exhaust steam nozzle,a continuous conduit extending from the nozzle to the Copies of thispatent may be obtained for stack and provided with a plurality ofannular screened openings therein for the admission of fire gases tosaidconduit, successive separated portions of said conduit beingsuitably shaped to constitute eductor pipes for regulating the draft,the screening areas of said conduit being situated axially on eitherside of said eductor pipe portions, and an outer chamber surroundingsaid conduit extending from the bottom of the latter continuously to thestack and provided with a screen for admitting fire gases to itsexterior, a portion of the wall of said chamber being adapted to bereadily removable to gain access to the interior of said chamber.

5. In a locomotive, the combination of the stack, the exhaust steamnozzle located directly beneath the stack, and a vertical conduitextending from the nozzle to the stack and provided with a plurality ofannular screened areas therein for the admission of fire gases to theinterior of said conduit, successive separate portions of said conduitbeing suitably shaped into cylindrical upper portions, with flaringlower portions, for the purpose of regulating the draft, said eductorportions being capable of axial adjustment with reference to saidnozzle.

6. In a locomotive, the combination of the stack, the exhaust steamnozzle located directly beneath the stack, a vertical conduit extendingfrom the nozzle to the stack and provided with a plurality of annularscreened areas therein for the admission of fire gases to the interiorof said conduit, successive separate portions of said conduit beingsuitably shaped into cylindrical up per portions, with flaring lowerportions, for the purpose of regulating the draft, said eductor portionsbeing capable of axial adjustment with reference to said nozzle, and anouter chamber surrounding said conduit extending from the bottom of thelatter continuously to the stack and provided with an annularcylindrical screen for admitting fire gases to its interior, a sectionof said cylindrical screen being adapted to be readily removable topermit access to the interior of said chamber and to said conduit.

CORNELIUS H. VANDONK.

Witnesses:

O. W. KATES, E. V. WEEKING.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. O.

